Generator Firms Enjoy a Surge In Business

Phones were ringing off the hook at generator companies yesterday as nervous San Franciscans considered investing in a standby source of electricity.

"We had a tremendous surge in business," said Erica Gore, business center manager for Makelim Power Systems in South San Francisco. Other generator companies reported that sales and rental of the devices skyrocketed.

Generators, typically powered by diesel, can cost as little as $1,000 for a small device that will run a few lights and appliances, to $500,000 for a megawatt unit that can power an entire commercial building.

For home use, a generator the size of a large air conditioner might cost $2,500 to $10,000 and provide enough power to keep the refrigerator, some lights and maybe a microwave or coffee pot in service. Installation, which must be done by a licensed electrician in accordance with Pacific Gas and Electric Co. requirements, can cost as much as $6,000.

Homeowners who really want peace of mind can opt for models that cost $20,000 or more. Bayside Equipment Co. in Redwood City sells four or five $20,000 to $30,000 generators a week for "the Atherton-Hillsborough type of house," said Bill Slade, company manager. "Those people are dependant on electricity for comfort; they have electric gates, furnaces, satellite dishes. They like their comforts," he said.

At the high end are industrial-strength generators used by police and fire departments, hospitals, water pump stations and other essential services.

For example, California Pacific Medical Center, with three campuses in San Francisco, has nine generators, each about the size of a delivery truck. The backup systems, which run on diesel fuel, are worth more than $5 million altogether. The hospitals keep a five- day supply of diesel fuel on hand and test each generator weekly.

"We have a lot of safety nets to ensure that patients will have uninterrupted care in a power outage," said Sara Kelley, public affairs director.

Many newer office buildings install generators during construction. Usually, they provide minimal power during outages: enough lights to guide people to exits, and enough power to land elevators at the nearest floor.

At KCBS radio, installing a backup generator cost as much as the $25,000 device. That's because the generator -- the size of a deli freezer case -- had to be airlifted by helicopter to the roof at One Embarcadero Center, where it powers the newsroom and equipment rooms during power outages. (Separate generators power the station's transmitters in Novato.)